Rebirth
by Sakura Hibari
Summary: Sakura's world just turned upside down with the appearance of a mysterious new being from another dimension. Eveything is about to change...for the good or for the worse...only time will tell.
1. Learning

**A/N: **The conception of this story came about over musings of how some are valued less than others and that it is until they are gone that they actually matter. One thing that struck me most when musing about second chances and rebirth was that the main reason people are against their death is not because they want to live but fear that they will die unloved and unwanted.** – Sakura Hibari **

* * *

**Rebirth **

**Chapter One: Learning**

It wasn't the same.

Everything was falling apart…what was she going to do about it?

She didn't know, but she hopes she will once she finds the strength inside.

In the perfect dream, he would be there, laughing with her, loving her, but most of all he would come running

…_to her…_

But this was not the perfect dream.

Or any good kind of dream at all

She had been replaced by a prettier, much better person after all.

…_she was disposable not only to him, but to them…_

That girl with the chopped up red hair and the thick square framed glasses

…_replaced her…_

Sakura Haruno had died and in her place someone else breaths

How frightening?

How sad?

How heartbreaking?

…_how betrayed she had felt…_

In the end she knew it was bound to happen

…_and that's what made her break inside…_

* * *

The sky was crying, or it was just her tears blocking her eyes. Regardless of what it was they came like hot flooding pools of water, streaming down her face. She had no control over them and her face felt warm and entirely uncomfortable, she was growing pale with restless. The pain of being alone was finally getting to her at all angles and she was at a loss at how to fix it—to make it so that it hurt less.

Why was she here if they had not meant for her to be there in the first place? Did they hate her that much? The person who had supported them through thick and thin? What was with the secret meetings they repeatedly held without her? It was like they were laughing at her slow and painful descent into misery. Sometimes she even saw the pitying glances they threw at her with ignorance.

But what really made the pain of loneliness hit her core was the that one time when she came out of the hospital after a late night shift, she had stumbled upon her "friends" at Ichiraku, eating, laughing and all around joyful but as soon as she stepped into the scene all of that had ceased and the message could not be clearer.

'_Leave, we don't want you here!'_

They were thinking that…she knew. They thought she couldn't take it…

Perhaps they were right

It was always like that ever since Karin had come to stay with Sasuke after Danzo's death. They all flocked to this girl like it was magnetism. Only it was by choice, not because they were forced to. Karin had seemingly won their trust and love and was slowly making Sakura look bad at all the right moments. This effectively took Sakura out of her own niche, making her the outsider. Sakura realized what was happening to her all too late, and now the damage was done. There was nothing she could do now to change what had happened.

Naruto began calling on her less and less to go out for ramen until it was nonexistent. Sakura did not even know if they had met at all in the last six months since Sasuke had come. Ino was avoiding her like she was the plaque and was hanging out with Karin like _they were_ the ones who had been childhood friends. Tsunade had been interested enough in Karin to give her some special training and was ignoring Sakura for everything except to do missions.

It was not like Kakashi gave her the time of day before Karin came, so it did not hurt when he passed her while crossing the street and not give so much as a hint of acknowledgement.

It hurt having the one you had dubbed unconsciously as 'mother' to be ignoring you. Sakura did not feel as if she was being treated fairly, but she knew whatever she had to say would be pushed aside as being jealous. Most people in the village thought she was jealous except maybe Nara Shikamaru and Hyuuga Neji.

The three of them (Sakura, Neji and Shikamaru) had formed a Jonin team and did most of their missions together. Sakura had to admit that even if her "family" and "best friend" were ignoring her, to the point she was forsaken, she would always have these two. Though, even when they comforted her in times of distress, she knew they would not be there for her forever. They had lives too and could not stop just for her.

She understood

She would also go so far as to say that they were an extremely efficient team, not that Kakashi, Naruto or even Sasuke knew about them being the said team. They were a secret team called upon by the village for extremely dangerous missions, most of which were assassination of S-Rank. She also knew that her old team, team seven, would have no problem thinking she was only good for healing. Sasuke had made sure that she had known that:

"I can't believe that you're still a ninja; you're not fit for this life. You have always been a burden to this team and all the other ninja in the village. You are so annoying Sakura."

Karin who was next to Sasuke at the time could not stand being silent while the demeaning of her rival took place, like the perfect icing to the cake she gleefully added:

"You did not honestly think that Sasuke-kun would like someone like you for even a second right? I mean look at you" she said indicating at Sakura's body "No one in their right mind would like someone as ugly, weak and irritating as you! You are such a low-life"

Karin had taunted her time and again for the way she looked, how strong she was and most of all the fact that Sasuke did not love her. Her heart felt like a thousand needles had aimed and plunged when they were always near, Sasuke would glare and she would rip her gaze away.

Did they honestly think she was trying to gain Sasuke's attention?

Never the less, Sakura thought as she walked home again, her arms wrapping around her sides in an attempt to gain warmth from the cool night, she knew that letting go would always be the first step.

It was a learning process

She came to a stop at the front door of her house and opened it. Little did she know that behind that door lied her destiny….

To a future worth living


	2. Father

**A/N: **The conception of this story came about over musings of how some are valued less than others and that it is until they are gone that they actually matter. One thing that struck me most when musing about second chances and rebirth was that the main reason people are against their death is not because they want to live but fear that they will die unloved and unwanted.** – Sakura Hibari**

* * *

**Rebirth **

**Chapter Two: "Father" **

Sakura stilled as soon as she entered the living room, a tall man with spiky, gravity defying brown hair stood in the center of the room. He looked to be around his mid-thirties. His suit clad form was remarkably still, and his all-knowing brown eyes scanned the room with interest.

Sakura, who still was in shock, felt a bit of shame at not being able to sense the man, who to her seemed to be a civilian of some sort. _'Is this what I have been reduced to?' _she ponders.

Just as she is about to voice her concern over the man's presence, he spoke to her in a low, warm voice.

"Sakura Haruno. Occupation: ninja of the hidden leaf village. Parents: deceased with no other known relatives. Skills include super strength, healing, and ability to use a sword."

Sakura found it odd that he would say she was able to use a sword. She had never, in her entire life, used a sword. '_Only root members and maybe Sasuke were able to,_' she thought, slightly bitter.

"I'm sorry sir but—"again Sakura was interrupted when the man swiftly turned around, brown eyes almost piercing her soul and continued once more.

"Born on March 28, 1994, and is currently sixteen years old. Blood type: O positive. Favorite food: shiratama anmitsu and hanami dango. Hobbies: playing trivia and memorization. Notable friends: Hyuuga Neji and Nara Shikamaru. Rivals: basically everyone else."

"How the hell do you know all of this? Are you some kind of enemy ninja? Seer?" Sakura burst out in anger. She couldn't take it, how was one supposed to act if someone knew this much about you?

The man did not appear that perturbed, in fact, it seemed he almost expected this reaction. "There is no need to get angered Sakura-san. It is all in due pace as I would like to think. I remembered a time when I acted much the same way when my own tutor greeted me."

Sakura was floored "What do you mean tutor?"

"Although, I don't think I would implement as much Spartan training as he gave me. I am a fan, however; of the more mental exercises. It gives a fresh outlook on life."

"Wait just a minute—!"

Before Sakura could say or do anything, a fast approaching orange colored flame came and engulfed both herself and the strange man who seemed to know just a _little too much_. Now it appeared she was sitting on a soft, comfy green sofa in a totally unknown room. A living room perhaps, but certainly no room she was familiar with, that was for sure.

"Who are you?" Sakura questioned the man who was sitting rather comfortably on the green couch opposite of her. This was just getting plain wired for her tastes.

"That, my dear, is a question most people around here have been trying to figure out for ages."

"Well I don't have time for this, I have to go back home!"

"Home?" The man said in an almost mocking tone, "You mean the place where you have been treated as trash or is it dirt? Which do you prefer?"

"That is none of your business! I –"Sakura wanted to justify Konoha desperately but found that she could not. The words were caught in her throat.

"Ah. So the little kitten is unable to add bite to her bark, is it?" the man's warm smile irritated Sakura to no end and all she wanted to do was curl up into a tight ball and return to the place she was familiar with and had grown up in.

She groaned and resigned herself to this fate; if she was going to get out of here she might as well know why she was brought here.

"Don't worry; it only gets better from here, Sakura-san. And who knows you might not want to leave."

"Ok, that's all nice and dandy, but as for the reason I am here in the first place…?" Sakura voices with a mixture of curiosity and restlessness.

"Right, well, I suppose we can start with introductions, mine to be specific. I believe we have established yours."

Sakura huffed in annoyance.

The man laughed before continuing, "I am Tsunayoshi Sawada, tenth boss of what was called the Vongola family in the Azura dimension. You could say my purpose for being here, alive really, is to guide you to become the first boss of the Vongola family, here in the Prietu dimension."

"The boss of the Vongola family? As in a mob boss?" Sakura was starting to panic. What was this guy talking about?

"More or less yes…but also to prevent the same mistakes in my dimension from happening in yours." Sawada-san, as Sakura had internally dubbed him, intoned in an almost dark manner.

"But this isn't my dimension, right? I mean you just transported us to this place?" Sakura tried to reason more to herself rather than Sawada-san.

"It is rather confusing isn't it? Originally there were three dimensions in existence: Azura, Blancu, and Russel. They were the first in existence in this vast timeline and would remain so until I had occupied my seat as the Vongola tenth in the Azura dimension. The Blancu, which you were supposedly born in, gave rise to a ninja moderate society rather than the modern technologically enhanced world that Azura was built upon."

Sakura had to admit that his story was interesting in its unraveling and could not help but ask "What had the Russel dimension develop into?"

Sawada-san sighed as if he was dreading this subject matter," The Russel dimension had developed into a wasteland, a negative version of the things happening in the Blancu and Azura dimensions. It became more of an energy hungry void and had consumed itself like a black hole."

At this Sakura gasped, she had heard about black holes from Shikamaru. He comparably quoted them to be more terrible than the Akatsuki and Orochimaru combined:

"If there is one thing you should know about black holes Sakura, it's that they eat away at the world until there is no light left. A huge mass of unstoppable molecules, whose only counter I can think of is a vacuum, but even that does not seem plausible. What could be more troublesome than something that is virtually unstoppable?" Shikamaru had said before returning his gaze to the sky.

Since then Sakura had always been very wary of what was beyond the ninja world. And from the information Sawada-san had just reported, she had good right to.

"The only way to stop it from what I found was to let a big vacuum to develop in the Azura dimension as the Russel dimension tried to swallow it."

Sakura noticed that Sawada-san's eyes had begun to moisten.

"My comrades, a better term would be family, had decided that there would be no point in letting the black hole continue on its dangerous path and consume both our dimensions…."

A dangerous thought passed through Sakura's mind.

"You guys sacrificed your world?" Sakura whispered open-mouthed, trying her best not to cry. _'These people sacrificed themselves to protect our dimension?_' she thought wildly.

"It was the only way to stop it; you realize that we all had to die in that vacuum we created? Since there was no oxygen and therefore no light for the black hole to consume…"

"It had nothing to do, so it had to disappear." Sakura finished.

"Correct, it cannot truly be destroyed, but it can be displaced."

"So if the, "Sakura's throat felt restricted," Russel and Azura dimensions were destroyed along with its people, you…?"

"Which brings me to where we are now, the Prietu dimension is the newly created dimension that was rendered from our sacrifice, or so that was what I was told."

"Told by whom?" Sakura questioned.

"A question for another day..." Sawada-san's eyes twinkled," I can tell you however that he or she had created this dimension for you."

"Me? What do I have to offer?" Sakura said confused.

"Yes, you, and I find it humorous you always put yourself down like you're no good. "His eyes turned reminiscent.

Sakura merely raised an eyebrow in question.

"Anyhow, the first rule I must teach you as your new tutor, is that you, under any circumstance, must never put yourself down. Trust me; it can be the deciding factor to half the bad things that happen." Sawada-san says.

"I'm not going to leave here anytime soon, am I?" Sakura asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Not a chance, dear daughter."

"So are we undercover?"

"Kind of, but everyone has already established you as my daughter in this dimension. I am now Tsunayoshi Haruno, rather than Sawada. Our background has already been established so no one will know who we really are and that is probably going to be our first secret."

"There's more?"

"Yep, but all will be explained in time," he spoke with that irritating smile of his.

"Do I have to call you dad?"

"I think that would be appropriate daughter."

"Right, _Tou-san_…"

Even if Sawada-san had freaked her out to no end this day, Sakura thought that maybe it wasn't as bad as she had originally thought. Besides, she never really had a father figure her whole life, her mom having been there until she was thirteen and had promptly fell ill and died that very same year.

Her biological dad had left them when she was two and was most likely dead from the statistics that Sawada-san had said earlier that day. And she really did not have the heart in her to address Tsunade or Kakashi as parental figures after they had abandoned her.

Sakura's emerald eyes glanced up at 'Tou-san's smile; it didn't seem so irritating anymore.


	3. Normalcy

**A/N: **The conception of this story came about over musings of how some are valued less than others and that it is until they are gone that they actually matter. One thing that struck me most when musing about second chances and rebirth was that the main reason people are against their death is not because they want to live but fear that they will die unloved and unwanted.** – Sakura Hibari**

* * *

**Rebirth **

**Chapter Three: Normalcy**

'Tou-san' had said that they were going to live in a town called Namimori. A town, he had mentioned, that he was born in. He also said that ninja were non-existent in the Prietu dimension and that she should watch what she says when talking to other people. He had also said that they lived in a country called Japan and that hidden villages did not exist here.

It was almost like she was a brand new baby taking her first steps in the world and frankly Sakura could not be more uncomfortable than she was now. The only highlight she found was during the exploration of their traditional Japanese house. Her favorite part of the house that she had explored was her room, which happened to be in the second floor of said house.

There were shoji doors that opened the room and tatami mats covered the floor. The theme was calm, cool green with the yin-yang symbol. There was also a banzai tree on her side table that was located next to a comfortable mint green colored futon. She had also found a sword hidden in one of the cabinets that was stationed at the far right of the room. When she questioned tou-san about it, he again smiled with a knowing look.

"That is going to be your base weapon, note that it is not a katana that you may have previously related it to."

Sakura had seen the difference between them once her eye caught sight of the sword in her room. It was more majestic and straighter than a katana and its hilt was more intricate, almost as if it was shielding her hand in an array of swirls.

"This particular type," tou-san indicated," is called a rapier sword, primarily used by the Spanish conquistadors who were out conquering the New World. It was handy in the sense of plunging and trusting it into the opponent. Fitting, I should say, for you." He finished with a laugh.

Sakura did not find it the least bit humorous. Although, she had to smile at the fact he was trying to be 'cool.' It was a bit of the normal relationship that Ino had with her dad, when Sakura came over to hang out. That was when they were friends, which was disappointingly not the case now.

"What do you mean by base weapon? Do you have one?" Sakura asked curiously.

"I do, and it's these," he said before pulling out two mittens with the number '27' weaved into them in red along with a bottle of pills. Sakura looked up at him strangely, unable to comprehend how these objects could be considered weapons.

Tsuna chuckled at her confusion. "The second most important rule I am going to teach you, daughter, is that you must never judge a book by its cover. You will soon see how this works once you start your training regimen a week from now."

"Why can't we just start now?" Sakura asked impatiently.

"Well, you have to get situated at school first and gain some friends. After all, you can't become Vongola Primo without gaining a family. They are what define you," Tsuna stated meaningfully.

"I'm not too sure I can make friends…" Sakura had lost much of the confidence she had held before because of the constant abandonment she encountered in the other world she lived in.

"Don't worry too much about it, you will know when it's them, but what you should focus on is how a school works here." Tsuna pointed out.

"What do I have to do?"

"Remember, you have to wear a uniform to go to Namimori chuu gakuen. There are a total of six classes and you must be in attendance of them all. Try your best when given school work and home work."

"Anything else I should be aware of?"

"There is a disciplinary committee headed by a boy named Kyouya Hibari…be wary of him."

"Why?"

"Let's just say that you don't want to get on his bad side," Tsuna gulped remembering the _Kyoya Hibari _from his world.

"By any chance, had this Kyouya Hibari been in the Azura dimension?" Sakura asked as her eyes narrowed in precaution.

"Yes and no," Tsuna tapped his fingers together in a nervous manner.

"_Tou-san_," Sakura called out sickly sweet and Tsuna winced, "how can it be **both** yes and no?"

'_I am a grown thirty-five year old man, I am not scared of sixteen year old,'_ Tsuna repeated to himself internally but after looking at his daughters narrowed emerald green eyes he was having second thoughts.

Tsuna forfeited

'_Reborn would kick my ass, if he knew…'_ Tsuna thought again.

"This Kyouya Hibari was born here in the Prietu dimension but," Tsuna emphasized, "he was born as an alternate version of the _Kyoya Hibari_ in the Azura dimension. He is also not the only one with an alternate form."

"What?" now Sakura was seriously going to get a headache after this.

"You see how even their names are different right, even if it is an added vowel that makes the difference?" Tsuna started again after seeing her confused expression.

Sakura nodded, trying to form some semblance of understanding.

"They are not the same people, no. You must first understand that once the people in my world died, they were reformed into the Prietu dimension with altered lives," Tsuna continued.

"This could mean that any of the following could have changed: their family dynamics (how they act to each other in that family specifically), parentage, age, personality, skills and even names," Tsuna finished.

"So the alternate versions of the people you knew could be considered their own entity?" Sakura concluded with a slightly awed expression.

"Precisely," Tsuna nodded. He felt that it was going to be difficult meeting these people and not feel sad that his own friends wouldn't be there with him. Upon noticing his sad expression, Sakura's face turned from awed to concerned but quickly morphed to determination as she rushed up to him.

With that she threw her arms in the air, all of her pink hair flying, and wrapped them around the man and spoke softly into his ear, "Don't worry tou-san, they will always be in here."

Tsuna noticed Sakura pointing to his chest, where his heart lies.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan." Tsuna whispered back as he returned the hug, with equal warmth and compassion.

After a couple of minutes of silence in remembrance of his lost friends, Tsuna slowly set down Sakura on her feet. He was after all, nearly two feet taller than her.

"We have a mission don't we?" Tsuna asked in reassurance.

"Right, get to school and make friends," Sakura shot back with a smile. Tsuna chuckled again before ruffling Sakura's pink hair with his left hand as she went upstairs to get ready.

Now alone in the living room Tsuna sighed before glancing up at the ceiling and saying, "I vow to you Reborn, this time I know nothing will go wrong." He silently went upstairs to his own room to get ready before dropping Sakura off at school and reporting to his own job.


	4. Namimori

**Rebirth **

**Chapter Four: Namimori**

It was a Monday afternoon in Namimori and both father and daughter Haruno were headed off to school with haste.

"Are we going to get there in time tou-san?" Sakura asked as they both rushed down the nearest street to the school.

It was agreed upon by both of them that should they ever go outside of the house with each other that they address the other properly. So that no one suspects their real identities.

"Yes Sakura-chan, we will get there on time. Relax a little," Tsuna tried to comfort, but even he could not believe himself that well.

"By the way, why are you coming along? Are all parents supposed to come with their child to school on the first day?" Sakura asked with curiosity as both of them neared the gates to the school.

"No, it's just that I'm the principle," with that said, 'tou-san' left his daughter, Sakura, speechless.

* * *

"Hello students my name is Mr. Akiyama and I will be both your homeroom teacher as well as your biology teacher this year," said a tall balding man with oval shaped glasses. He seemed amiable to Sakura as she and the rest of her junior class in 1-A greeted him with enthusiasm.

'_I wonder what school life is going to be like from now on,' _Sakura thought as she looked around to observe her fellow classmates.

"I would like each of you to stand up and talk about yourself in a few sentences, so that the rest of you class and I may get to know you better while you are here in Namimori," the teacher asked politely and most of Sakura's classmates who were paying attention nodded back.

Then one by one each of them stood up to introduce themselves in chronological order. Sakura found that the second row introductions were kind of interesting.

A girl with dark and wavy locks of hair along with dark violet eyes stood up with a very intimidating aura surrounding her.

"Hello, my name is Izumi Fubuki and I advise you not to get on my bad side unless you wish to be blackmailed," at Izumi's comment, most of the people in class shivered along with the teacher in fright.

"Thank you Miss. Fubuki, you may have a seat now," Mr. Akiyama said almost stuttering.

Sakura gave a small chuckle and Izumi, having noticed, shot Sakura an odd look before taking her seat.

The girl next to Izumi, with short orange hair then stood up, some of the boys surrounding her started to whistle and Izumi was quick to glare at them. Needless to say they all shut up. Sakura than focused her sights on the second girl, she was petit and had doe like peach colored eyes.

'_What a pretty girl,'_ Sakura thought to herself. A lot of girls from her dimension would have probably been very jealous of this girl's looks.

"Good day, my name is Kyoko Watabe, and I love to do arts and crafts as a hobby. I hope we can all get along nicely," Kyoko finished with a smile, which caused most of the boys who were whistling around her before to sigh as if love struck. Sakura took note that Izumi was shaking her head with disapproval at the boys but smiled in support of Kyoko.

'_Looks like Izumi and Kyoko are friends,' _Sakura observed. She also heard some murmurs from her fellow classmates about this Kyoko Watabe.

"Isn't her brother on the boxing team?" one student whispered to his friends.

"Yea, not only that but he's the captain of the team and they have won the championship three years running," one friend answered back.

"No one messes with senior Ryohei Watabe's sister and lives to tell the tale," reported another one of the friends.

'_So that's what all the commotion was about, Ryohei Watabe must be really strong to intimidate that many hormonally driven teenage boys with just his title,'_ Sakura thought once more.

After Kyoko had taken her seat the last girl seated in the second row stood up. All the boys began to groan and the said girl's face started to scrunch up in annoyance.

"Shut up!" she yelled back at them in frustration and the boys just laughed. Then she dusted off the invisible lint off her uniform before speaking again.

"Hi!" she said excitedly before continuing, "Most of you know me—"

"Yea, though we wish we didn't!" a boy shouted out.

The girl huffed in annoyance again before ignoring the boy and Mr. Akiyama sent a warning glare to the boy.

"I'm Haruka Miura; I love to design costumes and I am skilled at gymnastics. I hope we can learn to **respect** each other this year," she emphasized as her brown ponytail waved behind her head like a flag, as if to prove her point.

Then after a couple more of Sakura's classmates introduced themselves, it was soon Sakura's turn and she felt the gazes of the three girls (Izumi, Kyoko, and Haruka), looking at her with the same interest she had demonstrated before.

"Hello, my name is Sakura Haruno, I'm not all that interesting but I hope we can get to know each other better throughout the year," Sakura commented in a leisure fashion, reminiscent of Shikamaru.

'_Looks like his habits rubbed off on me,'_ Sakura thought as she glanced around. She saw Izumi raising an eyebrow at her. Haruka and Kyoko had given the other dubious looks before looking back at Sakura.

Sakura, for her part, did not seem all that perturbed with the staring of her classmates at all but on the inside it was an entirely different story.

'_I guess this just means I have a lot of people's skills to work on but where did they go in the first place?'_ she thought, _'oh yea, they sunk along with all the other so-called friends I had in the Blancu dimension…'_

"That was a rather interesting introduction Miss. Haruno, you may have a seat," Mr. Akiyama indicated to her desk.

"Is it true that you are Principle Haruno's daughter?" one of the students near her questioned with wide eyes.

All Sakura could do was nod as their teacher began his lecture over the membranes of cells and the differences that lie between.

It went unnoticed to Sakura that the three girls: Izumi, Kyoko, and Haruka were still keeping an eye on her.

* * *

After six hours of classes and repeated introductions, Sakura had to say that school was a creation meant to distort the happiness of most children in the world. Her father, on the other hand, had voiced his disagreement to her announcement. Of course, this took place when they were both safely inside his office after school hours.

Tsuna, sitting in his rather elaborately adorned leather seat, looked upon Sakura's countenance with a knowing look.

"It will be tiring at first since you're not used to this kind of schedule, but in time it gets better, I promise," Tsuna vowed to her. But Sakura still had a hard time believing him.

"Did anything interesting happen in class?"

"You mean besides the constant unwanted attention for being the principle's daughter?"

"Well! When you put it like that…" Tsuna said in mock sadness, brushing away invisible tears to add effect.

Sakura laughed, a smooth feather light sound emitting for the both of them to hear. It was a good thing her 'tou-san' knew how to take a joke as he laughed along with her.

"There were some people that interested me," Sakura replied, gearing the conversation back to its original intent.

"Oh? And who might they be?"

"Three girls, they are a part of my homeroom class," Sakura replied with little hesitance.

"What caught your attention about them?" Tsuna questioned in turn.

Sakura brushed her hair back while sighing," It was just the way they presented themselves, I don't know…it just sparked my attention, like there was some kind of unexplainable connection there."

"Could those girls be these three?" Tsuna asked as he passed three clean cut manila folders to Sakura. As Sakura looked through the I.D pictures and the statistics, she nodded her head.

"Yea, these are the same girls," Sakura said as she flipped through the papers one by one, "do you have information on everyone of the people you meet or is that just your way of investigating the unknown?"

"Let's keep it at the statement of it being my way to investigate the unknown," Tsuna replied back.

"Hmm," Sakura murmured as she read on.

**Izumi Fubuki **

**Date of Birth: **April 20, 1994

**Age: **Sixteen

**Alias: **"Dark Shroud"

**Hair Color: **Dark Violet

**Eye Color: **Violet

**Blood Type:** A

**Height:** 158 cm

**Weight:** 48 kg

**Flame:** Rain

**Father: **Yukino Fubuki

**Mother: **Unknown, presumably deceased

**Siblings: **None

**Skills: **Expert marksmanship (primarily uses hand arrows called "stilettos", senbon needles, darts, and shuriken knives). She is known to never miss a shot. She knows how to get her information from just about anywhere under the sun and that does not exclude shady backdrops. Izumi also has ace level piloting skills over aircraft's. She is also good with other mediums of transportation such as boats, trains, ships, automobiles and motorbikes. Has a very admirable ability to know when a person is telling the truth or is lying to her, functioning similarly to a lie-detector machine.

**Alternate form:** Hana Kurokawa

**Kyoko Watabe**

**Date of Birth: **March 4, 1994

**Age: **Sixteen

**Alias: **"Tempest Jinx"

**Hair Color: **Orange

**Eye Color: **Peach

**Blood Type:** O

**Height:** 156 cm

**Weight:** 45.5 kg

**Flame: **Sun

**Father: **Iemitsu** "**Knuckle" Watabe

**Mother:** Nana Watabe (nee' Sawashi)

**Siblings: **Ryohei Watabe (Elder Brother)

**Skills: **Escape Artist, she has studied various magician tricks (most notably those invented by Harry Houdini) and is able to get out of any tight situation while thinking in a logical manner; also has a knack for acting. Any role given to her on a covert or espionage mission will always be played to the perfect tense. She uses two primary weapons and that includes a mirror and crossbow. The mirror is said to be filled with dark magic that she had attained over the course of her training. With her crossbow, she can fight at long distances. She has some boxing experience from under her elder brother's tutelage.

**Alternate form:** Kyoko Sasagawa

**Haruka Miura **

**Date of Birth: **May 3, 1994

**Age: **Sixteen

**Alias: **"Cheshire Cat"

**Hair Color: **Dark Brown

**Eye Color: **Walnut

**Blood Type:** B

**Height:** 156.5 cm

**Weight:** 46 kg

**Flame: **Lightning

**Father: **Seiya Miura

**Mother: **Hitomi Miura (nee' Hotaru)

**Siblings: **None

**Skills: **Extraordinarily acrobatic, causing her to be very flexible and able to contort herself into positions nearly impossible for a normal person to achieve. She is also able to walk on her hands without any struggle. These abilities allow her to scale almost any surface very quickly, and squeeze through most barriers and into small spaces. Haruka's defining; most noticeable ability is her mastery of pressure-point striking martial arts, in other words "Chi Blocking." She is able to strike sequences of pressure points and immobilize her enemies to various degrees. This includes paralyzing a single body part, or even the entire human anatomy. In the past she was an award winning gymnastics athlete but had to quit for unknown reasons.

**Alternate form:** Haru Miura

"Wow, you tabulated all of this?" Sakura said as she finished reading Haruka's profile. She compiled them neatly together and tried to hand it back to Tsuna but he waved them away.

"Keep them; they will be useful in the future, put it in a safe place where only you have access to it. There will be more of these, so be prepared," Tsuna warned. "If this type of information got into the wrong hands, who knows what will happen to these girls or any of the others."

Sakura nodded in consensus with what he had to say. "So tou-san ready to go home?"

"Let's go," with that said, both Tsuna and Sakura left the principle's office to return to their warm Japanese styled home.

* * *

**At the Watabe Residence**

"That Sakura Haruno…she seems different, don't you think Haruka, Izumi?" Kyoko asked her best friends of six years.

"You mean different in the sense that she did not let out a single word about her background throughout the entire duration of school?" Izumi asked with a look of frustration spilling across her face at the act.

"The very same essentially," Kyoko reaffirmed her eyes also narrowed in scrutiny of the fact. That Sakura was being awfully secretive and in the mafia world that type of behavior can be synonymous to danger. And it certainly would not do to be put in a dangerous position.

"I find it intriguing though, it's been an awful long time since we have had a decent challenge," Haruka added to the conversation as she looked up from the doodles she was currently drawing at the edge of her finished homework assignment.

"It would seem okay at first, but would it really be wise to mess with someone we don't have any inkling about?" Izumi countered with some contempt. This had been a fist for the blackmailer, not being able to gather information on someone. It was like this Haruno girl had just popped out of nowhere.

The dimmed lights highlighted the hidden smirk Haruka's eyes carried. It was humorous to see "know it all" Fubuki without any "ammo" so to speak. Haruka was waiting for this type of chance to occur for a while now and the arrival of the mysterious Sakura Haruno could not be anymore perfect. Needless to say, Haruka's bubbly personality came back at full force. She could not wait until they officially met this Sakura.


	5. Fated

**Rebirth **

**Chapter Five: Fated **

Sakura groaned as her eyes adjusted to the dark lighting that in-habited her room. She and Tsuna came home from school yesterday a little winded. There was still no visual sign of this "Kyouya Hibari," yet though.

'Maybe Tou-san talked about him just to scare her,' she thought as she stretched her arms around a little. The thought of him trying to scare her did not make sense though. Tsuna-san seemed to be an honest, down to earth kind of person.

Sakura sighed," I hope I don't get enemies this early in the game, or else I might disappoint Tsuna-san." The thought of disappointing him turned her stomach for several moments before she got up to dress in her regulated uniform.

Once at school, Sakura bid goodbye to Tsuna as he walked in the direction of his office. Sakura soon felt a burning gaze on her back.

_'Is someone watching me?'_ She thought self-consciously as she pulled her grey skirt down, feeling it was too short.

"Whoever you are, come out now before I make you!" Sakura tried to sound intimidating and slightly failed. She just hoped that whoever was there behind her, didn't notice.

"Is that supposed to be your version of a threat, herbivore?" a tall boy, who seemed to be Sakura's age, came out of the shadows, he was hidden in and Sakura could not help but stare a little. He had dark ebony colored hair that went up to the base of his neck and slightly slanted violet-gray eyes. His skin was a healthy pale fruit pink color. There was a noticeable spark in his eyes that seemed to emanate hunger. Sakura had never felt so vulnerable until now, the boy practically oozed intimidation.

"Take it as whatever, but it's rude to stare!" after saying it, Sakura felt her comment was weak, something she despised being. It reminded her of the times she was always left behind by her team—in her other life.

"I was not staring, I was merely observing," he countered with what seemed to be a feral grin etching across his face. Slowly he advanced on Sakura until she was backed up against a wall.

'_Now I know what a deer feels like when they are cornered by a lion,' _she thought rather sardonically. If there was one thing Sakura hated more than feeling weak, it was to feel helpless and disposable. While weak she could still do something but now…

"Why are you doing this?" She questioned with a lot of anger shown in her voice. Who was this guy to come in and make her feel all the things she hated in life? He had no right!

"Scared huh?" the boy's eyes glinted with even more malicious intent causing Sakura to bump her head against the wall. The pain that emanated was the type to ache overly.

"I'm not! I just don't see why you need to be here!" She shot back trying not to let her new pain show.

"I'm the school's head prefect, Kyouya Hibari, I have every right to be here, herbivore," when Kyouya said this in a ghost like way; Sakura panicked even more so than before. There was no Tsuna to save her from this; she would have to find a way to escape. But the question was how? How was she going to get away from this Kyouya's clutches?

Sakura re-examined Kyouya: he seemed to be the type that did not let control get out f his reach easily, if she was able to somehow make him loose his cool…

"Whatever your thinking herbivore, it's not going to work, technically your already late to class and it's just the second day of the school year," he smirked at the thought," that means you have to be bitten to death."

_'The nerve of this guy! I wouldn't have been late to class if he hadn't held me up!'_Sakura smiled suddenly, confusing Kyouya. With his eyes furrowed, he did not understand why this pink haired girl was smiling at him, was she not squirming a minute ago?

'_I've got the perfect get-away plan,'_ Sakura thought before she leaned forward into Kyouya, causing his eyes to widen in miniscule shock. Slowly she placed her right hand at the back of his ebony hair, her fingers digging through it, until she reached his scalp. She placed her other hand at the base of his strong neck.

'_His hair is silky,_' she thought distractingly before shaking her head to get rid of these silly thoughts and to focus on the task at hand. Than without further adieu she crushed both her and Kyouya's bodies together. Kyouya immediately stilled, Sakura noticed this and smirked, eerily similar to Kyouya's own just minutes before. She bent her head until her face was centimeters away from his own, "Not so tough now, are you Kyouya?" He narrowed his eyes at her and she could have sworn she saw a pink tinge spread across his cheeks.

_'He looks kind of cute when he blushes,_' Sakura thought before getting off of him and making her exit, she did not need to look back to know he was following her with big resounding footsteps. Sakura could also bet he had a scowl decorating his face as well.

"Come back here herbivore! Before I do something I _won't _regret!" Kyouya growled before sprinting after her with even more haste. Sakura ran as far as she could by zigzagging halls in an effort to evade Kyouya as much as was possible and at the same time trying to get to class. Sakura thought she had finally escaped the clutches of the scary Kyouya Hibari her father had warned her about beforehand. But before she could enter the safe confines of her classroom she felt two strong arms encircle her waist, emerald eyes widening she did the last thing she could think of to get her out of this mess.

She yelled out to Mr. Akiyama.

"Mr. Akiyama, help me!"

She knew he heard her with the indication of his head turning around. His eyes creased with worry as he saw Sakura being dragged away literally by Kyouya Hibari. But to Sakura's shock as soon as he saw Kyouya, he went up to his classroom door of room 1-A and shut it tightly. Was he more scared of Kyouya than being concerned for a student's—Sakura's—welfare?

"Don't look so shocked, herbivore, teachers know not to cross me," Kyouya announced as he pushed her in front of him. His hands gripping her waist to the point she felt suffocated. Some of the students they passed did not seem to see her; whether it was due to ignorance or the fact that Kyouya was blocking her form being seen.

'_Where is he taking me?'_ Sakura wondered in an irritated haze. She didn't ask for trouble, trouble just came in the form of Kyouya Hibari apparently and that was more troublesome than she had hoped for.

After a few minutes of walking both students came upon a room labeled the reception room. Than without a single thought, Kyouya pushed Sakura forward into the room with him following after and shutting the door with a slam.

"Shut up and sit down," he said in a commanding voice. Sakura huffed indignantly before taking a seat on the red couch that was placed conveniently within the room. Kyouya quickly sat right next to Sakura on the couch and continued to speak with an unassailable tone.

"The Principle, your _father_," he spat out the word with more than a little contempt," told me that I am supposed to train with you for the time being and become some sort of _right-hand_ to you." He finished with a scowl.

"What!" Sakura yelled with surprise. This was the guy her "father" told her to stay away from. What was Tsuna-san thinking by making him even closer to her than wanted? Had he lost all sense?

"Didn't I say to shut up a moment ago?" Kyouya all but glared at Sakura, and Sakura glared back. She was not going to back down because some guy felt the need to subdue her.

"You're not the boss of me!" She shot back.

"You will do as I say or else," his patience was wearing thin.

"Or else what are you going to do about it?" Sakura had become more and more frustrated, and her throat felt sore from all the yelling. She just wanted this day to end and even more so to question Tsuna-san on his decision to induct Kyouya into the family. She did not want someone so mean within her circle of friends. It just wasn't the smart thing to do, he would most likely come and go as he pleases than be there for the "team." This Kyouya Hibari did seem to be the ideal lone wolf. Being the right hand man required someone with the utmost loyalty to the family and to…her. She was not so sure that he would be loyal in any sense of the word.

Having had enough of this meeting and the announcement, Sakura made a move to get out of the room. She just wanted to go home today; it had been far too hectic.

Kyouya, seeing her movement, grabbed her from behind and pulled her onto his lap. Sakura fumed.

"What do you think you're doing?" She exclaimed.

"Detaining you," he answered so simply.

"I thought you weren't the touchy-feely type?" Sakura started to wiggle out of his grip with vigor.

"Guess you bring that out of me. Now stop moving, it's not going to help you." His grip only tightened.

"I want to go home! Just let me go home!" Sakura yelled again, trying to strike him in the head but he evaded. Than to get the upper hand and to make Sakura stop squirming, Kyouya flipped her on her stomach with him on top of her. His legs entangled with Sakura's, to insure she did not kick him anywhere questionable.

'_Her hair smells nice, cherry blossoms—her name sake,'_ Kyouya thought non-committal. His face awfully close to her pink hair…

_Dangerous_, she was dangerous to him, he noted.

"No, as your _right-hand_ I have to inform you of your annoying father's decisions: he wants us to bond apparently."

"Why?"

"Why 'what'?"

"Why are you doing this? You don't seem to like my father, you sure don't like me, and you don't sound the least bit interested in becoming my right-hand man. Are you a masochist of some sort?" Sakura questioned her emerald green eyes inquisitive.

Sakura saw Kyouya's eyebrow twitch and a vein pulse with annoyance at her accusation.

"It's not my decision, it was my parents. Especially my mother, saying all this nonsense of being deprived of a daughter and that I had a duty to give her happiness as a son; annoying women," he remarked with continued distain.

Sakura was irked, it sounded like his mother was trying to set them up and if her hunch was correct there would be hell to pay.

'_Oh yes, someone will pay!'_ she thought viciously.

"Is your mother trying to—"

Sakura's question was interrupted by a knock on the door. Both she and Kyouya's attention drifted over there at once. In came Tsuna-san and two others. A man and women, they seemed to be married. The women had dark cascading ebony hair and sharp purple-gray eyes, she was also wearing a beautiful sun colored kimono with peacock designs. The women's unreadable expression morphed into a beaming smile once she caught sight of Sakura and that scared Sakura for some reason. The man looked like an exact replica of Kyouya except he was wearing a black trench coat, was taller, and had blond hair with light blue eyes. The man's eyes were like chips of ice that seemed to prick at your soul and when he looked at the two teens on the couch, Sakura felt very uncomfortable. There was very calculated look on his face.

"Sakura-chan," Tsuna said with mock shock, though Sakura knew he was attempting to tease her," when I told Kyouya that you both need to bond, I didn't mean like this," he finished while pointing at both teenagers promiscuous positions on the couch.

The women waved a hand at the scene, before saying "I think it's wonderful that they are getting so close! I mean think about it, after this they are bound to go dating, get married and then give me and Aluade-kun lots of grandchildren. There's certainly nothing wrong with that!" she said with excitement.

It was official to Sakura, this women was insane.

"Mihoshi, this is not the time or the place for such thoughts," the man said trying to stop the women from making further exclamations of Sakura and Kyouya's undying love for each other.

"Oh but it's so cute!" Mihoshi exclaimed.

Both Tsuna and Aluade rolled their eyes at Kyouya's mother's behavior.

"Tsu—I mean tou-san! Why are you setting me up with this guy?" Sakura asked, wanting to know his reasoning for such an insane arrangement. He was trying to kill her, she was sure.

"Don't be like that Sakura-chan, it's all for the best," Tsuna continued non-perturbed.

"And why is that?" Sakura felt like choking her tou-san, or do something to make him snap out of it! This was obviously not a good thing!

"The Hibari family is known by very few, mind you, to be the head of the secret police in various countries, notably in Italy and Japan, it's good to form connections with them early on," Tsuna continued as if he did not hear Sakura at all.

"Fine, but does this guy," Sakura had a hard time pointing to Kyouya since she was still wrapped up in a body bind," have to be my right-hand. Couldn't you have gotten, oh I don't know; a girl!"

"It's okay dear, I made him promise not to do anything dishonorable until after the marriage," Mihoshi tried to placate Sakura but only caused the girl more distress, while Kyouya settled to glare at his mother for the interference.

"What my wife is trying to say is we want a more permanent alliance with you Haruno-san," Aluade intervened. His gaze directed solely on Tsuna-san. Tsuna seemed a little out of sorts, all calm gone out the window of opportunity.

"I thought our agreement only extended to Kyouya becoming part of the 'family'," Tsuna asked concerned. This was not what was agreed upon in the beginning.

'_About time he got concerned!'_ Sakura thought angrily. Kyouya raised a fine black eyebrow in question; his parents were the only ones who always managed to surprise him in some way. This was just another example of it.

"The Hibari family will hold up its side of the agreement as promised," Aluade's voice seemed to have had a glacier like quality, "on the condition that your daughter, Sakura Haruno, marries our son Kyouya Hibari by this coming Sunday."


	6. United

**Rebirth **

**Chapter Six: United **

"_The Hibari family will hold up its side of the agreement as promised on the condition that your daughter, Sakura Haruno, marries our son Kyouya Hibari by the coming Sunday." _

By now Sakura was sure Tsuna-san was outwardly gaping in outrage or just plain shock, which it was—she wasn't sure. But she did know one thing for sure and that was that the Hibari family was an insane—and she meant out of this world insane—bunch of people.

She and this_ Kyouya_ were sixteen for god's sakes! Did they not know that? Aluade-san kept his gaze firmly rooted on Tsuna-san and Sakura could see that her tou-san was visibly shaking. Or maybe he was hyperventilating? You could never be too sure when it came to him.

'_If only I knew what Tsuna-san was thinking about right now,'_ Sakura thought with a curious glance up to the scene playing out in front of her. Kyouya and she were still in there rather tangled up predicament and Sakura sighed on the inside, it did not look like he was going to let go anytime soon.

Kyouya could only be irritated—at himself. _'Why am I clinging on to this girl again?'_ he thought, but with one quick glance to his mother, he knew he can't ever let this girl go. Not that he was ever interested in this pink haired and green eyed girl, it was just that his mother was even more of disciplining force than he was and would most likely stop him from running the disciplinary committee or something troublesome like that. That was certainly not something Kyouya would be looking forward to.

'_It isn't like this Sakura was bad-looking either,'_ he thought distractedly,_ 'in fact she looks kind of cute, in a nymph like way.'_ He shook his head of such mental thoughts, him—thinking was someone was cute? What was the world coming to?

Looking between the Principle and Sakura, Kyouya could not detect much that they had in common other than their last name. _'Maybe she inherited most of her traits from her late mother or something,' _Kyouya thought. Late, because he and his family were not aware of any wife that the Principle had; they would have known about her anyways. That was just how his family worked. They were a small but fairly (and arguably the most) powerful family when it came down to justice. They were nothing like that Uchiha family and its many small scale police departments stationed only in Japan. The Hibari family was connected on an international level. In simple terms, Kyouya could not understand why the Haruno's were hesitating with such an opportunity to align themselves with his family, especially if they knew how rare the situation presented itself. Very few, if at all, could claim themselves related to the Hibari's in any manner.

"This opportunity is something most would kill for Haruno-san, don't let any foolish decision blind you from that," Kyouya saw his father goad at Sakura's dad in a very distinct and cunning way. If the students in his school were scared of Kyouya; they would downright faint at the mention of his father, Aluade. A secret idol to Kyouya in many respects, and defiantly not someone he would want to cross in anyway _yet_. Kyouya knew he had much to learn from his father still, even though the fact unsettled him.

"I'm not sure how this type of permanent alliance would benefit you and your family, Aluade-san," Sakura's dad spoke, albeit in a stuttering manner. Kyouya saw his parents smirk simultaneously, the Principle was done for.

"It is in our best interest to settle the manner in such a way that we don't have to worry about any last minute changes," Aluade announced. He was not stupid enough to ignore the potential of the Haruno girl, and neither would he tolerate any such back-stabbing or plans of escape. If the Haruno's were thinking they could get a sly one over them in some way they had another thing coming. Though he thought of finishing the deal with a contract, it was his wife, Mihoshi's idea, for a marriage. This was a sort of guarantee type of way to make sure that they had a good amount of influence in the new Vongola family, with his son as the right-hand man and husband to the boss. There was no way the Haruno's could make a decision without consulting them.

And from the look on his face, the Principle seemed to realize that too.

"What if they don't like each other?" Tsuna could only try his best to argue his and Sakura's way out of this sticky situation.

"They did not have any problem getting in such a licentious manner on the couch,' Aluade spoke as soon as the words left Tsuna's mouth. And as soon as it was announced, Tsuna could see Sakura's face redden from embarrassment as she tried, and failed, to get out of Kyouya's grip. Tsuna felt a kinship to his daughter then: they were both trapped like mice in a corner by three big, looming cats that were ready to pounce on them at any second.

"Then what about their age? They are only sixteen! Much too young to be thinking about marriage," Tsuna tried to sound persuasive, he really did, he knew that in the long run it would not be him who had to deal with Kyouya Hibari for the rest of his life. He wanted Sakura to have the best that life could offer, and that would include falling in love with the man that she wanted. Not to be in some arranged marriage based on political gain.

"As children age they get much too finicky with finding a significant other; it's best to insure their future now," Mihoshi pronounced, getting wary with all this talk. She wanted her grand-children right away, damn it! Aluade chuckled at his wife's impatience, knowing how much she wanted little kids to spoil after being told she was unable to bear anymore after Kyouya; his birth added a lot of strain to her.

Tsuna was close to folding and that was when the Hibari family said something that affected both him and Sakura to a much shaken degree.

"We are your only hope of getting away from the Uchiha family," Mihoshi said, her purple-gray eyes sharpening with killer intent.

"What do you mean by the Uchiha family?" Sakura questioned hastily; she was under the impression that she was the only one from her dimension. She quickly looked towards her tou-san, but he seemed just as stunned as she was. Looks like this was something they were both unaware of.

'_Got them,'_ Aluade, Mihoshi and Kyouya thought all at once. Now it was time to bring in their final weapon of persuasion; the sign of a threat that only the Hibari family can counter.

"My informants tell me that the Uchiha clan is looking to take down the Vongola with an alliance to the Shimon," Aluade said in an almost disinterested manner, the Uchiha's were a weak clan in his opinion but if it made his job of convincing the Haruno's easier than by all means.

Sakura wasn't sure who the Shimon were but from the almost self-loathing position that her tou-san was in, she thought that they may be the Akatsuki of this world.

She wouldn't be too far from the truth.

Tsuna sighed before speaking:"I, Tsunayoshi Haruno, agree to let my daughter Sakura Haruno, marry your son Kyouya Hibari by this coming Sunday." Though Sakura felt outraged at his agreement, she couldn't yell out loud, her tou-san looked so tired and almost _defeated. _She would interrogate him on this later.

"So this is the contract," Mihoshi beamed at Tsuna as she handed him the document, then she indicated towards Kyouya and Sakura to come and sign. Kyouya all but had to drag Sakura to the desk, she was still very unhappy with the turn of events.

Sakura wondered why they asked them both to come up to the desk, weren't they just talking about it? But when Sakura saw that Mihoshi handed a pen to Kyouya and he signed the document that was placed on the desk, she swore inwardly. That was a marriage contract!

"Why are we signing this now?" Sakura said, her eyes widening.

"So that you and your dad don't plan a get-away attempt," Kyouya said with an almost conceited tone. Sakura felt like punching him in the face, but she settled for vehemently glaring at him. Kyouya quickly signed the license and literally forced the pen through Sakura's grudging fingers so that she too can sign. Tsuna -san was smiling at her in a sad way and she forced herself to come in control of her temper, it was not the time to throw a temper tantrum.

She signed it.

Mihoshi quickly tucked the license away from sight, "now that this is all done with," she said it so cheerfully that it made Sakura cringe inwardly," you guys are married technically." Then as almost an afterthought she added," with no chance of divorce! But that won't be a problem for us!"

Tsuna and Sakura simultaneously gaped at the women in disbelief. Kyouya merely rolled his eyes.

"You can't do that!" Tsuna yelled out in outrage.

"Yes we can, your daughter just signed a special contract enabling us to," Aluade said with a smug smile.

'_Ok, not only is this family insane, their also sneaky as hell!'_ Sakura thought with poorly covered alarm. Maybe it was just her and Tsuna-san who were slow on the intake.

"Now all that needs to be discussed are the wedding details! The Hibari family has always had a traditional wedding and as such Saku-chan and Kyou-kun will have the same, the flower theme will be surrounding the orange blossom!"

Aluade and Kyouya coughed at this point.

"Oh hush you two!" Mihoshi glared at her husband and son, Sakura was kind of clueless.

"What do orange blossoms signify?" she asked, knowing that the answer might have a great chance of upsetting her.

"It represents fertility dear!" Mihoshi clapped her hands in delight. Sakura turned fifteen different shades of red before shrinking visibly.

'_I really wish I hadn't asked that,'_ she thought desperately.

"For your bouquet, of course the majority of the flowers will be orange blossom, but also: holly for domestic happiness; red rose for passion; violet for faithfulness; peonies for healing; and jasmine for grace and elegance. It sounds wonderful, right?"

Sakura could swear that Mihoshi had stars in her eyes by now. Tsuna-san, who was standing to the right of her, was also overwhelmed at the woman's peppiness.

"The courtesy's will be taken care of, so don't worry!"

Sakura was worried alright, but it wasn't for her impending wedding. She was practically married for all intents and purposes already! No, she was just sulking like Tsuna-san right now. Like father, like daughter, ne?

"Now Kyou-kun," Mihoshi turned her suddenly sharp gaze on her only son, "it's your distinct duty to make sure that one is delivered by the end of the year. Am I understood? The wedding night will give you a head start and it's also your chance to prove yourself as a man, ok?"

Kyouya's purple-gray eyes widened almost comically in Sakura's view. His mom must have said something that was probably startling, not that all the other stuff she said wasn't.

'_Do I want to know?'_ Sakura looked at the light tinge of red sprinkled across Kyouya's face, _'No, I really don't.' _Since her future was already set, on a technicality of all things, Sakura decided that it was time to go home.

"Tou-san, I'm going to return home, are you coming along?" Sakura said as she addressed Tsuna, her eyes gazing away from the Hibari's purposefully. She didn't want to see them more then she already had to. It was too depressing.

Tsuna raised his eyebrows in surprise at first but a look of understanding dawned upon his face, _'Sakura-chan is most likely unhappy, maybe it's best to give her some time to cope with it on her own. Heck, even I need time to cope with this…'_

"Sure Sakura–chan, but first I need to take care of some business," Tsuna then looked at his watch, "it seems that school had already ended today. Why don't you take a walk outside? I'll be right out after an hour, and here," he said while passing her a manila folder with some papers in it. "Review this when you get the chance."

Sakura looked at the folders, '_looks like its more profiles that I need to read,'_ then she glanced at Kyouya, _'his will probably be there too…worth trying to find some other weaknesses.' _With that Sakura took the folders into her hand and was about to exit the reception room when Mihoshi's voice interrupted.

"Wait Saku-chan! Kyou-kun will walk with you, after all the more the merrier, right?" She said with lots of excitement.

Sakura would sincerely beg to differ, but did not make a point to voice her concern.

"Let's go," the response sounded pathetic to her ears, but could you really blame the girl? Kyouya, after taking in Sakura's form, remained silent, though his eyes held a semblance of concern. The three adults began to chatter on various subjects involving the Vongola as Sakura and Kyouya exited.

* * *

"I won't do anything to you after the wedding if that is what you are worried about," Kyouya said after a while of them walking around the school grounds. Sakura, whose eyes were absorbing the scenery, looked back at him in shock. Did he think that was what she was upset about?

"No, no, that wasn't what I was sad about…" she finished. Kyouya raised a fine black eyebrow at her, but before he could question what she was poignant over, three black shadows formed in front of them.

Kyouya quickly took out his tonfas, prepared to defend both he and Sakura when the shadows revealed themselves to be three girls: Izumi, Kyoko and Haruka. Sakura quickly placed Kyouya's arms back to his side, signaling that she knew them. Kyouya looked at Sakura strangely but never the less complied with her want.

"Sakura Haruno, right?" Izumi stood first, her arms folded in both and intimidating and guarded manner.

"The very same," Sakura replied casually, her expression relaxed.

Izumi's eyebrow twitched, "could you at least sound like your scared?" She fumed. This Sakura girl was very irritating.

Sakura smirked, "Sorry, I didn't know I was supposed to." Izumi was about to say something, but was beaten to it by Haruka.

"Sorry about her, she is just cranky today!" She said with enough enthusiasm, to make Sakura look at her with surprise.

'_Two different personalities for sure…but what about...,'_ Sakura's gaze was directed itself to the third girl, Kyoko who had yet to say a single word, _'I wonder what the third one is like.' _

It struck Sakura that the girl was as silent as a porcelain doll on display, a calm expression decorating her face. Her hand held together in such a way that it looked like she was hugging herself. There was fidgeting in her posture and her peach colored eyes screamed that she wanted to be anywhere but here.

'_Interesting,_' was all Sakura thought.

"So is there any specific reason why you weren't in school today?" Haruka questioned, but it more or less came out as a demand. After all, what would one do if they wanted to befriend someone but that someone suddenly went missing for no reason?

"You didn't skip out to be with your boyfriend here just because you're the Principle's daughter, did you?" Izumi's icy voice said at the same time, her dark violet eyes narrowed on both Sakura and Kyouya close forms at this instance.

Kyouya glared back with equal distain and anger, _'what's this girl's problem?'_ then he glanced superstitiously at Sakura, standing beside him, _'and why isn't she angry at her? Don't girls usually get angry over this stuff?'_ he noted while taking in Sakura's current tranquil façade. Little did he know, Sakura fumed on the inside at being recognized with Kyouya in such a manner; but she had learned the hard way in life that being externally angry did one no good.

'_Yea, like being out-casted from the majority of your village in the Blancu dimension for instance,_' Sakura thought back hazily before returning her mind to the present.

Haruka also glared at Izumi, the main goal was to make friends, not more enemy's! They already had enough of those! But her glaring stopped once she heard Sakura's laugh. Kyoko too, at this point was astounded, anyone Izumi challenged was sure to be insulted in some way or another; but this girl was just brushing her comments off as if it was lint on a sweater.

Sakura then commented, "You guys are all so different, wonder how you came to be friends…"

"Are you trying to pick a fight?" Izumi countered.

"No, it was just my own curiosity."

"Curiosity killed the cat, Haruno."

"I think one would have a tough time killing me."

"Want to test that theory?" Izumi muttered before getting some of her hand arrows, stilettos, she had named them—Sakura bright emerald green eyes hardened but she didn't do anything to prepare herself for the oncoming attack. This girl wanted a fight and would only be satisfied until Sakura proved to her that she was capable.

"No one is supposed to carry weapons in this school except for me," Kyouya announced, disapproval lingering on his face. _'Why is Sakura not doing anything?'_ he wondered, as his right hand moved to the grip one of his tonfas.

"Don't try anything, Kyouya, this is my fight," Sakura said, but her eyes never moved away from the charging Izumi, whose dark violet hair was flying in the air at the speed of her movement. With one look at her hair Sakura knew why she received the alias that she did.

'_She was nick-named aptly as the Dark Shroud,'_ was Sakura's last thought before she dodged several stilettos. Izumi then turned around to barrage kick Sakura in her stomach, but Sakura quickly caught that leg and sent her flying in the opposite direction she came from, with only one hand. Izumi quickly halted as her eyes widened, she didn't realize that the girl had this much upper body strength. Maybe she was worthy to have caught their attention. Even Kyoko had looking on at the pair in rapt concentration, even though she remained silent.

Haruka felt the giddy sensation again; _'This…this is what we have been waiting for!'_ She had waited for this Sakura all her life and now she was finally here. Their worthy rival was finally here! And made her presence known!

"I almost feel insulted that you didn't continue," Sakura said to Izumi, but the other girl shook her head.

"That was just a test," Izumi replied, she was the type of girl to know her limits and when something wouldn't play to her advantage.

"Oh, is that so?" Sakura jested; knowing that this other girl was up to something. If this was the game they wanted to play then so be it.

"Who are you?" it was the first time Kyoko spoke and though her friends seemed surprised, but they did not dare interrupt her.

"Sakura Haruno—same as always…"

"No!" yelled Kyoko frustrated as she focused on Sakura. "Who are you really? What are you hiding?"

"If I told you, it would lose all purpose of why it was originally hidden in the first place, Watabe-san."

"Even Izumi couldn't get a read on you!"

"I should hope not, I would feel very self-conscious then," Sakura was acting very patient with Watabe's little sister, from where Kyouya stood and he speculated on why that was. He also noticed that her eyes were searching for something; as for what is was—Kyouya was not sure.

"Are you part of the mafia?" Kyoko questioned Sakura. Izumi and Haruka turned to Kyoko in shock. Was this the always demure Kyoko Watabe? Their friend was never this forward or blunt with someone they had just met.

"You're an inquisitive person, Miss. Watabe, I'll give you that."

"It would be helpful if you gave more."

"Yes it would, wouldn't it? It would be loads more simple for me too, I'm sure."

"Then if it is so simple, why are you acting so difficult?"

"I can tell that you are trying to protect something dear to you Miss. Watabe, and it's not my intention to hurt it," Sakura spoke strongly after a couple seconds of silence. "But you must also understand that there is something dear to me that I must also protect, regardless of its secrecy." Sakura thoughts reflected back to her tou-san and the not yet fully formed Vongola family, she had something to protect alright.

Kyoko stared at Sakura for a good couple of minutes before turning to leave, her posture hinted at being unaffected by the girls words, but her face told a different story entirely. Haruka looked disappointed at having not officially befriended Sakura as she followed her friends. Izumi was about to go as well but not without delivering some parting words, "This is not the end Haruno! We will be back and **we will** get some answers!"

Sakura blinked before answering, "Let's hope they are the answers you are looking for, Izumi-san."

* * *

"What is your interest in those girls?" Kyouya finally spoke as he and Sakura walked in the direction of her house. Her dad had informed her that he would face further delay at the school and that she should head home with Kyouya.

"I don't see in what way that pertains to you." Sakura spoke; her thoughts still focused on the day's prior events.

"I'm your right-hand man, whatever you do concerns me to some extent, although, I might feel differently."

"They might be useful in the future."

"I can tell it's not only that, that interests you," Kyouya intoned. Sakura sent fleeting look at him before walking a couple of steps ahead.

"You're quite the talker, aren't you? You must have a lot of friends." She asked changing the subject abruptly.

"I don't like associating myself with herbivores."

"I happen to be a vegetarian," Sakura knew it was low to lie, but if it got rid of Kyouya then she would lie until her tongue turned blue.

"You are not; and by herbivore—I meant weak."

"You creeper, how do you know that?" Sakura couldn't help but feel a tad bit disappointed, she was so close to losing him and he threw it right back at her.

"My entire family knows about you from the files we had gathered from your father, my mother also made me memorize it."

Sakura would have looked surprised had she not met Mihoshi Hibari, but she had and that almost seemed too tedious to be shocked over. She had come to expect nothing less from the Hibari family now.

"Trying to get rid of me will do you no good, I am as good as stuck with you for life and if my mother has her way, which she always does, for eternity and death."

"That's very comforting," sarcasm was dripping from Sakura's voice. Kyouya settled his gaze on her face now, as they both came to a stop at Sakura's and Tsuna's house. His eyes were probing hers as if asking for permission. And without consciously realizing it, he moved closer to her and her towards him. Sakura's petite pink eye brows furrowed, she wasn't sure if she wanted to let him, but with that silently pleading look and their "wedding" coming up this Sunday, she might have to.

'_I'm going to hate myself for this later,'_ she thought before nodding her head lightly, then in an instant she felt soft but firm lips place themselves upon hers with rapid fervor as his hands encircled her waist. Kyouya, feeling a little bit more daring, pushed his tounge into her mouth. Sakura duly noted that he smelled of green mint and she (although she would deny it a thousand times later) kind of liked it. He was a bit forceful, trying to dominate over her tounge, but that was part of his personality, and so she let him. This action seemed to have made his eyes shine brighter, it meant that she accepted him. Altough, she would say she let him because she liked the friction their lips created together. There was a certain warmth that emanated within her belly. It was just right, by her standards, considering this was her first kiss. Her fingers moved up to tangle themselves in his ebony hair as she felt him start to play with her long pink hair with the tips of his fingers. It was sweet and totally unlike him, but she knew he was different when he was around her for an extended period of time. They broke apart for air after some time.

"This," Sakura breathed heavily while indicating towards their previous rendezvous,"did not happen, so your parents or my dad can't know okay?"

Kyouya nodded.

Sakura looked up at Kyouya before hugging him,"I liked it." He almost couldn't hear her with her face all crushed up against his chest but he got the gist of it by ear. In response he placed his chin on top of her pink hair and pulled her closer.

Sakura thought that being married wouldn't be so bad. Needless to say, but Kyouya was also thinking something along those lines while they stood together in a comfortable silence.

* * *

That night, Sakura situated herself on a couch in the living room before pulling out the manila folders, her dad gave her earlier today. Tsuna-san, of course was sleeping in his room upstairs, after she bid Kyouya farewell, her dad had come bumbling in, and he looked promptly winded.

'_He's too tired to be subjected to an interrogation now,'_ Sakura thought then, so she decided on asking him about the Uchiha matter another day, when he wasn't so tired and beat up.

Sakura focused on the task at hand. What new information would she be getting today? She wondered looking though the folders.

**Kyouya Hibari **

**Date of Birth: **May 5, 1994

**Age: **Sixteen

**Alias: **None

**Hair Color: **Ebony Black

**Eye Color: **Violet-Gray

**Blood Type:** A

**Height:** 169 cm

**Weight:** 58 kg

**Flame:** Cloud

**Father: **Aluade Hibari

**Mother: **Mihoshi Hibari (nee' Kosike)

**Siblings: **None

**Skills: **He can use two tonfas as his primary weopons. Has an affinity to small animals which some people find strange due to his intimidating aura. Hibari has been known to never lose a fight even when fighting against Itachi Uchiha, heir to the Uchiha clan. Is very resourceful and commands many of the police forces in both Italy and Japan under his father's guidance. He can use various other weapons at any time and has the capability to destroy a village if the need arises. Some other facts have been hard to gather about this individual but it is said his potential as a fighter is limitless. The Hibari family is also the head of most of the Central Intelligence Agencies located across the globe.

**Alternate form:** Kyoya Hibari

'_Limitless, uh__…?'_ Sakura thought, her eyebrow quirking in surprise, it would be better to have the Hibari's as an ally afterall.

**Hayato Gonoye**

**Date of Birth: **September 9, 1994

**Age: **Sixteen

**Alias: **Hurricane Bomb Hayato

**Hair Color: **Silver

**Eye Color: **Storm Green

**Blood Type:** B

**Height:** 168 cm

**Weight:** 54 kg

**Flame: **Storm

**Father: **Leopold Gonoye (Also known as "G.")

**Mother:** Kimiko Gonoye (nee' Rizzoli)

**Siblings: **Bianchi Tonerre (Elder Half-Sister — they have different fathers)

**Skills: **He is a music prodigy in his own right. Having mastered the piano and violin as young as age seven, Gonoye is considered a rising star in the music world. His mother is the famous pianist Kimiko Gonoye and his father, Leopold "G."Gonoye is an extremely revered hit man in the mafia world. Gonoye is known by his signature weapon, dynamite and for also being an aspiring cryptologist. He has an issue with temperament that needs to be quelled. He can also use Sistema C.A.I. and has shown some proficiency with archery, that with more work, can produce interesting results. On a side note, he is very superstitious and knows at least one exorcism technique.

**Alternate form:** Hayato Gokudera

**Takeshi Yamato **

**Date of Birth: **April 24, 1994

**Age: **Sixteen

**Alias: **None

**Hair Color: **Black

**Eye Color: **Light Brown

**Blood Type:** O

**Height:** 177 cm

**Weight:** 63 kg

**Flame: **Rain

**Father: **MIA*

**Mother:** MIA

**Siblings: **None

**Skills: **Yamato's signature style is the "Shigure Shoen Style" of samurai fighting and the weapon Yamato uses for this style is the Shigure Kintoki. It is a shinai that transforms into a Katana. He is from a well known sports family, and because of this Yamato is well versed when it comes to speed and agility. He is well known in the sports of soccer and baseball, having won various first place medals. He can also use his ancestor's ancient sword style, known as Ugetsu, which requires the use of four swords. Yamato is working as an apprentice under Superbia Squalo, who is his named guardian. Yamato is also dubbed by some to have an excellent potential to be a hit-man as well as negotiator. They also see him to have the potential of being the next greatest samurai of this era.

**Alternate form:** Takeshi Yamamoto

*MIA – Missing in Action

Sakura's eyes lingered on the last part of Yamato's file, the MIA symbol glaring back at her with its sharp, black printing ink.

"Two new ones," Sakura murmured under her breath, "I wonder how this is going to play out…"

* * *

**Kyoko Watabe's Room **

Kyoko was perturbed. She sat on top of her soft bed during evening of the day and wondered about what Sakura said to her earlier in the day.

"_I can tell that you are trying to protect something dear to you Miss. Watabe, and it's not my intention to hurt it, but you must also understand that there is something dear to me that I must also protect, regardless of its secrecy." _

This Sakura's demeanor was so relaxed, like she was used to someone questioning her on what she did and who she was. Kyoko in short, felt a little guilty at having been too probing, but she felt a sense of respect towards the pink haired girl. The way she held her ground against Kyoko's questioning without lashing out was amazing, her patience and perceptiveness were also right on.

'_How else would she have known that I wanted to protect something then,'_ Kyoko justified to herself; she quickly grabbed one of the many abundant red pillows and cuddled into it. There had always been times when Kyoko had felt insecure and had to put a brave face on, she knew that when it came to strength, she lagged behind her more enigmatic and charismatic friends. Sometimes, or all the time, she wanted to protect those dear to her and seriously found herself contemplating on whether all the things she trained for were worth it.

Whether or not she was worth it…

She would never be able to tell her friends about her insecurities with this much in-depth feeling and description. But it seemed that they too sensed it but otherwise refused to comment, afraid that it will provoke more tears.

'_My tears,'_ Kyoko thought solemnly as she clutched her pillow even tighter.

There they went again, people always seemed to think she was a crybaby and unable to control her emotions. So challenged, so very quickly and Kyoko admitted to herself that she was jealous of Haruka more than Izumi. Jealous because Haruka was more outgoing and was not afraid of what people said, while Kyoko valued everything a person had to say about herself. But most of all Haruka was brave, the trait that Kyoko envied most.

People always assumed Kyoko was a doll, a glass doll that was better left on a shelf than to play with. It was hard to be like that, and maybe Sakura had seen through it, Kyoko didn't know, but there was a connection between them regardless if either of them saw it.

"Kyoko, honey, come downstairs! I think your favorite musician is on T.V. some important announcement or other," Kyoko's mom, Nana called her down. Her mother was the typical housewife. Caring for her children, Kyoko and Ryohei's (Sometimes their dad, Iemitsu) needs and looking after the household. And Kyoko was somewhat of a mommy's girl. Right now Nana was cooking dinner for them, pasta, Kyoko's favorite.

"Coming mom," Kyoko replied before hastily walking downstairs, her mother didn't specify which musician was on, but if her guess was correct it would be—

"Yo! Kyoko! How is my favorite baby sister doing this morning? To the extreme, I hope!" Kyoko's older brother by one year, Ryohei, shouted as Kyoko reached the bottom of the stairs. Her brother was always up in the morning doing exercises for his boxing club; in fact it was hard for Kyoko to think of a time when he was not doing something that involved boxing, and being extreme.

"I'm doing fine," She replied with a smile before brushing past him to the family room. Seeing as the T.V. was already on, Kyoko took a seat on one of the plush couches. A man with short, straw-like hair began to speak enthusiastically:

"_Pianist prodigy, Hayato Gonoye announced that he and his family were relocating to Namimori, Japan by tomorrow night; right after his raving performance in the Italian Cordinance Hall! What a suprise this is!" _

They then flashed the screen back to a clip of the music prodigy himself bowing to a standing ovation he received after his amazing performance of Paganini's caprice and Fantasie impromptu in the Hall. Kyoko's face blanched.

'_He's coming here? At this time—to Namimori?'_ She thought with excitement and hints of fear.

"Hey Kyoko, isn't that octopus head pretty boy the one you've had a crush on since like forever and a day ago?" Ryohei announced from his standing position behind the couch Kyoko was currently seated in. "You've had all his CD's, recordings, and you even have a bunch of his posters and pictures plastered against you're wall. Careful, everyone in school might think you're a fan of him," Ryohei continued on with a big laugh; missing the rather embarrassed look settled on Kyoko's face.

"I am a fan of him! Though, I might not be the only one," She mumbled the last part with some disheartenment. What chance would she have with someone like him even if he did come to stay here? He was a top notch musician and she was (really) a small town girl, pretending that she could be an actual hit-man, part of the mafia. Their worlds were so vastly different. If the famous Hayato did decide to come to Namimori high school, Kyoko had decided—at that moment—to admire him from afar.

'_Yea, that's what I'll do, we are much too different to think otherwise…,'_ she thought rather gloomily.


End file.
